How Well Are Hand Hygiene Practices and Promotion Implemented in Sierra Leone? A Cross-Sectional Study in 13 Public Hospitals

Sulaiman Lakoh, Anna Maruta, Christiana Kallon, Gibrilla F. Deen, James B. W. Russell, Bobson Derrick Fofanah, Ibrahim Franklyn Kamara, Joseph Sam Kanu, Dauda Kamara, Bailah Molleh, Olukemi Adekanmbi, Simon Tavernor, Jamie Guth, Karuna D. Sagili and Ewan Wilkinson
Additional contact information
Sulaiman Lakoh: Department of Medicine, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Anna Maruta: World Health Organization Country Office, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Christiana Kallon: Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Government of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Gibrilla F. Deen: Department of Medicine, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
James B. W. Russell: Department of Medicine, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Bobson Derrick Fofanah: World Health Organization Country Office, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Ibrahim Franklyn Kamara: World Health Organization Country Office, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Joseph Sam Kanu: Department of Medicine, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Dauda Kamara: Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Government of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Bailah Molleh: Sustainable Health Systems Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Olukemi Adekanmbi: Department of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan 200005, Nigeria
Simon Tavernor: School of Medicine, University of Liverpool, Cedar House, Ashton Street, Liverpool L69 3GE, UK
Jamie Guth: Global Health Connections, Center Barnstead, Barnstead, NH 03225, USA
Karuna D. Sagili: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Southeast Asia Office, New Delhi 110016, India
Ewan Wilkinson: Institute of Medicine, University of Chester, Countess Way, Chester CH2 1BR, UK

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 7, 1-14

Abstract: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) result in millions of avoidable deaths or prolonged lengths of stay in hospitals and cause huge economic loss to health systems and communities. Primarily, HAIs spread through the hands of healthcare workers, so improving hand hygiene can reduce their spread. We evaluated hand hygiene practices and promotion across 13 public health hospitals (six secondary and seven tertiary hospitals) in the Western Area of Sierra Leone in a cross-sectional study using the WHO hand hygiene self-Assessment framework in May 2021. The mean score for all hospitals was 273 ± 46, indicating an intermediate level of hand hygiene. Nine hospitals achieved an intermediate level and four a basic level. More secondary hospitals 5 (83%) were at the intermediate level, compared to tertiary hospitals 4 (57%). Tertiary hospitals were poorly rated in the reminders in workplace and institutional safety climate domains but excelled in training and education. Lack of budgets to support hand hygiene implementation is a priority gap underlying this poor performance. These gaps hinder hand hygiene practice and promotion, contributing to the continued spread of HAIs. Enhancing the distribution of hand hygiene resources and encouraging an embedded culture of hand hygiene practice in hospitals will reduce HAIs.

Keywords: healthcare-associated infections (HAIs); hand hygiene self-assessment framework (HHSAF); infection prevention and control; structured operational research initiative training (SORT IT); hand hygiene training; IPC in hospital (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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